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John Wilcoxon, Part I
By Linda H. Barnette
John Wilcoxin, whose name is sometimes associated with Daniel Boone and Morgan Bryan, was born on Sept. 6, 1720 in Berks County, Pa. and died in 1798 in Rowan County before Davie County was formed in 1836.
He married Sarah “Sally” Boone in Berks County on May 29, 1742. She was the eldest daughter of Squire and Sarah Boone, the parents of the famous Daniel.
Because John was not a Quaker as the Boone’s were, he and Srah married “Out of the Unity with Friends.” Therefore, the Boone’s severed their relationship with the Quakers. That was likely one of the reasons for their migration to North Carolina.
The Wilcoxons traveled from Pennsylvania to North Carolina in 1750 with several other families: the Boones, the Daniel Lewis family, as well as John’s brothers George and Isaac. Another group that traveled with them included Jonathan Hunt, Edward Hughes, Thomas Parker, William Giles, Thomas Foster, and a few others.
Historians place the Morgan Bryan family here a little earlier than these others. It is thought that these people settled in the area that is now Hwy. 64 outside of town. There are several records for John in the Rowan land records, and he received a 640 Granville land grant also, which he eventually sold to his son.
John was apparently a prominent citizen. He first appeared on the Rowan County tax list in 1759, was a constable in 1761, chosen in 1765 to be the overseer of the road from the South Yadkin River to Israel Boone’s house-location not specified but assumed to be off Highway 64 West outside of what is Mocksville now. One clue is that Israel is buried at Joppa.
In 1772 the court ordered that several men, including Morgan Bryan and John Wilcoxon to lay off a road from Salisbury to the shoals of the Yadkin River (near present-day Cooleemee). And they were to also lay off a road between Second and Third Creeks to Renshaw’s Ford until it intersected with Hunting Creek.
However, after 1776 his name is no longer on any records in Rowan County. The historian Thomas Tudor places John and Sarah in Ft. Boonesborough, Ky. from 1776 until the late 1790s. There do not appear to be any records of that, but we know that he died in Rowan County in 1798 and is buried at Joppa close to the Boones. There is a marker at Joppa placed by the DAR although the grave originally was not marked.
I began this research because I felt sure that Wilcoxon was one of the people who went with Daniel Boone when he first crossed the mountains and discovered what would later be Kentucky, but that does not appear to be the case. Thus, I will do more work and write a part II.

Worth It or Not
By: E. Bishop
It’s interesting to look at old newspaper articles, what was deemed important to include in them, the advertisements, local happenings, weddings, etc. While looking at our own local paper from 1940, I came across a simple but powerful statement from a 13-year-old girl (or woman?). It goes as follows: “Prefers Wifehood.” “Although she’s only 13, Mrs. Louise Redmon Geealing of Washington, DC is fully aware of a wife’s duties. Declaring she would resist attempts to part her from her 23-year old husband, a WPA worker, she said she is conserving their every penny, that her place is by her husband’s side.”
Really, 13?
Reading this made me want to do a little research on marriage statistics. Thirteen year olds, boys or girls, in my mind, are way too young to be married or ready for parenthood.
Girls may mature faster than boys but not that fast. I realize that in the past, economic factors, lower life expectancies and general societal norms were different than today. Women had fewer career options, marrying an older man provided better financial stability, children were expected to transition into adulthood quicker and marry at an earlier age.
Immaturity was not seen for what it is in those days. The typical post-war marriage was more accepted and emphasized family and traditional roles. Young people were often considered adults at a younger age; the legal age of consent and laws surrounding dating and marriage were different.
In 1940, the average age of girls getting married was 21.5, for males 24.4; much better than 13 of course. Over time, this has changed. In 2024, statistics point out the average for first marriages was 28.6 for women and 30.2 for men.
Changes in marital statistics from the early 20th century to now have been one of decline; in 2022, the change was 54% lower than 1900. From 1970 to 2010, there was a major decline but now, statistics show numbers have stabilized.
So what changed?
A lot.
Societal norms have evolved creating less social pressure to tie the knot, increased women’s independence with greater educational and economic opportunities and reduced reliance on marriage as an economic factor. Issues such as income inequality, student debt and housing costs lead to delayed marriages. Rise in divorce rates may lead to less confidence in the idea of a lasting marriage. And, today, there is a stronger emphasis on love and personal fulfillment.
Information taken from the Bowling Green State University and Institute of Family Studies raises concerns for the institution of marriage in our current society. These articles suggest that marriage does indeed matter. It is positively associated with greater community involvement across a range of areas. Married adults are more likely to get involved in the community, do volunteer work, care about their surroundings, more civic minded and truly care about how they raise their children.
In this self-obsessed culture we live in today, some may believe marriage and parenthood is a risky choice. Well, it is. It’s deeply personal also. However, it is not simply a private union but a social institution as well – it matters. Take it seriously (as an adult).
Now, back to my project of making a keepsake for an upcoming fall wedding. And, just out of curiosity, why did wedding photos and the write ups disappear from newspapers? Too old fashioned, I guess.

Adventures of a New Farmer – Part 2 – First steps
By Felicia Browell
To recap … God told me to feed His people, learn to farm, and showed me where He wanted me to do it. Right here in Davie County.
As I said, buying the land really was the easy part. Next, I had to transform an entire forest into a farm. Or part of it into a farm. But how? I had no idea.
One hot afternoon in August of 2020 (yes, pandemic year), not long before the closing, I was visiting a neighbor (Hi, Bob!), chatting with him about the land, when one of his friends pulled in. The friend said Bob had told him that I was going to turn that chunk of forest into a farm. We all stared at the big trees, listening to bird songs and the hum of insects.
There were a lot of trees. I needed the timber cut. That would leave stumps. Stumps would need to be removed. Then the land would need to be graded. How much would all that cost? Would the soil be good? Would anything really grow?
I was suddenly dry mouthed and almost trembling, feeling terrified.
When Bob’s friend asked me why I had decided to put a farm right there, I pulled myself together and I told him my story. He nodded politely a couple of times as I spoke. When I finished, I paused, feeling uncertainty creep back in, then added, “I’m supposed to feed His people. I don’t even know if there’s a food bank anywhere nearby.”
Remember, I knew there was a coffee shop, ice cream place, and library – everything else was still a mystery to me.
The man smiled and handed me a business card – he was with Storehouse for Jesus. “They will welcome your donations,” he assured me. All my doubts fled.
God winked at me. I don’t believe in coincidences. Every single thing that happens has a reason, every action we take (or don’t) has consequences, and sets something else into motion.
Remembering that interaction still gives me chills. It reassures me that He has my back.
I completed the purchase in late September. But I still had a house in Pennsylvania that I needed to pack up. Slowly, I started cleaning out after sending the first mortgage payment.
Lesson learned the hard way: If you have lived in one place for more than a year, or two at the most, choose one room per month and look at every item. Recycle, donate, sell, or throw out anything that you have not used since your last cleanout. One room a month is easy. An entire house with 32 years of accumulated stuff is very hard to get through. More on that later.
On my next visit to NC, I took soil samples and sent them in. I figured the land had been forested for so long, all that leaf litter and decayed plant material would leave me a nice rich fertile soil after the trees were removed. I couldn’t wait to get the results. More on this later, too.
With a mortgage to pay, I started to really watch my spending. Staying in a hotel was expensive – just five nights cost more than the mortgage payment. Again, God provided, via a new friend. (Hi, Kristi!)
While walking the property with one of the surveyors, I saw that a neighbor was prepping to dig for an in-ground pool. Since I’d had property line issues with a neighbor in Pennsylvania, I didn’t want that conflict here. I looked up the neighbor’s number and called.
In a nutshell …
“Hi there, I’m buying the land behind yours to start a farm. I just wanted to be sure you aren’t putting the pool too close to the lot line,” I said, trying not to sound anxious.
“We’re good. It’s about halfway …” Kristi was upbeat, friendly, and seemed excited that I was using the land for myself, not for a development. She and her husband were on vacation, so, reassured about the property line, we agreed to talk more later.
She called me to chat a couple days later. When I said I needed to make another hotel reservation to come down here again, Kristi said, “We have a spare room, you should stay with us.”
“You don’t really know me,” I said, heart hammering with hope. “Are you sure?”
“You’re a true believer, and I looked you up. I have Google,” she said, laughing. “You’re welcome to stay here any time.”
I was speechless.
“Thank you,” I finally said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you guys better.”
Like learning about Storehouse, remembering this conversation still gives me goosebumps. People are God’s hands and feet, here to help one another. I’m blessed to have friends like these.